Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginald and Pascha Williams.
Reginald and Pascha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My wife and I have been married for 24+ years. Reggie is from Starkville, MS and my wife Pascha is from Rogersville, TN. We meet when I was in College at Carson-Newman College (Now Carson-Newman University). I am an Army Vet., with a business Economics degree and my wife is a Nurse. I graduated in June of 1996 & Pascha received her Nurses’ license in September of 1996. We move to Atlanta in 1997, when I was offered to help open up and manage a new mortgage company in Atlanta that I worked for while in college. I spent 20 years in the mortgage business. In 2007 when the housing market slowed down, Pascha and I began to brain storm and worry. In 2008 while I was working for Chase Bank as a wholesale mortgage representative, the crash came and I lost my job. I went from making 340K a year to 30K. We had just build what we thought was our dream home, a 7200 sq. ft. home on 13 acres. Pascha has worked in geriatric care for her entire career as a nurse in nursing homes, home care, and hospice.
While working in in-home care, Pascha had seen how much the elder needed care in their home and how much they were neglected. Pascha wanted to be an advocate and change what she saw she in many homes working daily as a home health nurse. During the decline of the market, Pascha and I decided to start our own business with the savings that we had. We start our own private home care business one month after my last day at Chase. We struggle getting the business and clientele up and going but made it through. In 2009, we started our Certified Nurse Aide School after the state informed us of the need to hire CNA for private home health.
So instead of hiring CNAs that we could trust, we decided to train our own. We did not know how much of a demand it was for CNA in our area until we started. Our school has grown from just doing CNA classes, to Phlebotomy, EKG, Patient Care Technician. We have students that have completed our courses that is working in clinics and hospitals all around the metro area e.g. Cancer Center of America, Wells Star, Piedmont, Tanner, CHOA and others. We have also partnered with The Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to train and retrain individuals in our field. Today we have two office location in Carrollton, GA & Newnan, GA. Pascha has since started a nonprofit organization N.U.R.S.E.S. Inc. this a nurse organization that concentrates on community volunteering for nurses. With this, she has partnered with many other organizations such as Sickle Cell Foundation, Someone Caress, and others.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No it has not. We have several things that has happen through our time. It’s what I call “LIFE HAPPENS”. In 2008 I lost my job and significant income going from 340+ a year to 30K. This what spark the business. 2010, we lost our dream home because of it. 2010 Pascha lost her mother and step father in a house fire on our anniversary so every anniversary is a bitter sweet day.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Village Samaritan Training Institute – what should we know?
Our main business is Village Samaritan Training Institute, training certified nurse aides, Phlebotomy, EKG, Patient Care Technicians. We are an Allied Health training school.
We are one of the main private schools in Newnan and Carrollton that teaches these professions. We have small classes with instructors that care about our students’ future.
Giving them life skills and the confidence to go out and grow as a person for their families. We are proud that we can make a significant change and progress in our students’ lives. We have had students with less than high school reading levels, or has felt like they have never accomplished anything in life take our courses and come out with the attitude and feeling of accomplishment. Many of our students are adults that have been left behind in the education system with no confidence and since that they will fail and never progress. We show them personal attention and help them help themselves. My proudest student is a student that was 31 years old with 2 kids, her mother was totally illiterate and she was close to being homeless. She went through the WIOA program. Her reading level was very low. She completes our CNA & PCT courses.
Our instructor Karen stayed with her after class helping her with computer modules to help her reading. She received her national certifications. Three weeks after completing, she called me up and thank us for helping and working with her. She received a job offer from Piedmont Hospital Newnan and St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, GA. She took both jobs. St. Francis moved her out of situation she was in. Now she is planning to go back to school and become a License Nurse (LPN). We have many students like her.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
GOD….Pascha and I started this business by ourselves. We have one person that has been with us from the start. Karen Morgan helped with the start of school. Karen is one of our instructors with a huge heart and care for all the students.
Pricing:
- CNA Class $695 – 6 weeks
- Phlebotomy $1600 4 weeks
- Patient Care Techician $2805 8 weeks
Contact Info:
- Address: 251 Prism Dr., Ste 7, Carrollton, GA 30116
4 Forest Cir., Newnan, GA 30265 - Website: villagesamaritan.com
- Phone: 770-830-5683
- Email: admin@villagesamaritan.com
- Facebook: fb.me/VSTIGeorgia
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